Dryer felt connection



Feb. 17, 1959 J. R. L. sANTos 2,873,494

DRYER FELT CONNECTION FiledJune 24, 1954 y. E' .@amma usoollia'en ualuafa t- INVENTOR ATTORNEY DRYER FELT CONNECTION John R. L. Santos, Baltimore, Md., assignor to William E. Hooper and Sons Company, Woodberry, Baltimore, Md.

Application June 24, 1954, Serial No.`439,081

Claims. (Cl. 2433) The present invention relates to an improved .seam for paper drier felts including a particular structure for covering the connecting elements of the seam.

These drier felts are usually manufactured in sheets of very considerable widths and lengths. Due to their width and length they at times have transverse waves and at times the seam runs at other than a right angle to the direction of travel. The seaming between the ends must be rugged. The sheet is then made into an endless belt by connecting its ends. The most satisfactory manner of connecting these ends at the present time is by means of elongated looped wire staples or clips, which are clipped to the respective free edges of the sheet or belt by a machine after which a suitable pintle is extended through the overlapped wire loops. While this type of connector is quite satisfactory, it is most desirable to cover the joint to protect the paper or other material being handled against impressions and possible stain from the metal staples or clips, also itis most important that these seams, or connections, have as little uneveness as possible to insure smooth running and uniform operation from Iboth sides, since they sometimes go over rollers, bending first one way and then the other. Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a seam construction fora drier felt in which. the metal Ibelt connect ing members are covered with a drier felt similar material and at 'the same time have a minimum of thickness at the joint.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and `novel method of covering the metal joining clips.

Another object of the invention is to securely attach the seam cover and to maintain the strength of the seam at its maximum. t t

A further object of the invention is to provide a drier felt that will be economical to manufacture and practical and effective in its operation. i

The use of these drier felts is well known to those skilled in the art, but as the present invention relates eX- clusively to the seam or joint, of the drier felt itself, its use and manner of operation is referred to in only a general way.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawing and described in the detailed description that follows together with the manner in which the improved seam isgconstructed including its uses and advantages.

l Inthe drawings:

` IFigure `l is a plan view of one ofthe forms of the invention; i

nited States Patent O e -lCC .lected into a coherent sheet form upon the drying felt. These drying felts are sometimes of great length and width, therefore, it is necessary to make the connection between the belt ends as strong as possible and at the same time keep the seam reasonably flat.

As illustrated in Figures l and 2 the ends 1 and 1 of the belt are held together by a plurality of elongated looped wire staples 2. The ends of the staples are bent at right angles to the elongated portions of the staple and are arranged along each edge of the belt. The loops of these staples or clips in the respective ends ot' the belt extend past each other a suflcient distance to allow a relatively thin pintle 3 to be extended through the respective loops las shown in both Figures l and 2. In each belt end, long and short staples alternate. In order to form the joint, the end portion 4 of the end 1 is turned under and extends along the under side of the belt. This folded back portion 4 is then sewed transversely of the belt with three strong rows of thread 5, 6 and 7. Row 5 is located adjacent the edge of the belt, beneath the staples, row 7 is located adjacent the end of the underturnl portion 4 and row 6 is located substantially midway between rows 5 and 7. The opposite end 1 of the belt is not directly engaged by the metal staples. A separate piece preferably of the same or similar material is folded upon itself as shown at 8 and 9*. The material is so folded that one of its sides 8 is longer than the other 9. This folded piece extends the entire width of the belt and is provided with a row of stitches 10 adjacent its front edge. This piece is stitched to the end 1 of the belt 'by four rows of stitches 11, 12, 13 and 14. Rows 'of stitching 11 and 12 pass through both layers 8 and 9- tinuous surface or ap upon which the paper is supported over the connectors.

lt will be noted that the angular ends of the staples engage the folded ends of the material beyond the rows 5 and 10 ofthe stitching. These stitchesprevent excess swelling of the material in the area where it is folded, ltherefore preventing the swelling of the material from loosening the staples, which might impair their holding effect.

The modied form of drier felt shown in Figures 3 and `4 is in general quite similar to the form shown in Figures l and 2, which is the preferred form, because the staples or clips are attached directly to one end of the belt. The staple holdingis preferred over the stitch holding, for strength. p

In Figures 3 and 4 the ends of a drier felt 15 and 15' are illustrated. The end 15 of the drier felt is folded downwardly and under the end of the felt as shown at 15". This folded `end portion issewed down upon the end 15 of the belt by three rows of stitches 17, 18

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken through the seam the folded edge.

and`19 similar to that shown and described in Figures 1 and 2, the line of stitches 17 being just inwardly from The end 15 of the felt is formed in exactly the same way, as shown at 15"', being sewed down upon the portion 15' by the stitches 20, 21 and 22, the line of stitches 20 being just inwardly from the folded edge. Extending over the joint in the present modification is a short separate member 23, preferably made from drier felt material. This strip or flap is secured to one end of the belt by a row of stitches 24, which retains Athe member 23 over the seam. The looped wire staples, or clip members 2 are of such length and width as to allow their angular ends to engage the folded ends of the material just beyond the rows of stitching adjacent the respective folded edges and at the same time they are of sufficient length as to extend beyond the edge to assume an interdigitating relationshipV with staples from theoppositeedges of the belt after which' a pintle 3 is extended, through the looped ends of the staples to hold the two ends of the belt together.

With the present construction, the folded edges of the material are held to a minimum of swelling by the row of stitches such as indicated at 5, l0, 17 and 20, as these belts do swell, since most of the time they run very wet.

lt will also be noted that with the present construction, the joining staples do not come in contact with the paper carried on the working surface of the belt and therefore can not be injured thereby, the joint being always coveted with either the rextended end of the felt or a flat separate piece sewed to the upper surface of the felt.

1 The paper layer is uniform over the hinge in both modifications, and has only one step at 1 in Figures l and. 2, and two steps in the construction of Figures 2 and 3. These steps tend to merge with the lower felt in use. lt is preferred that the, strip 23 be slightly thinner than the body of the felt, it is subjected to less strain and such thinner material makes a shorter step at the ends of the strip.

The joint also provides for a minimum and gradual rise in thc belt as it moves across or around the supporting drying rolls.

For example, in Figures l and 2, when the belt is moving inthe direction of the arrow, the roll over which thel belt passes contacts `just the outer edge of the folded piece 8 and after this edge has moved onto or od the roll, the shorter edge 9 moves on or off the roll. By this step arrangement the bump at the seam is minimized. inthe structure shown in Figures 3 and 4, there is only one step, which is the outer edge of the folded back edge, the cover strip 23 being sewed to the top of the belt by the row of stitches 24, which is located inwardly from the row of stitches adjacent the folded edge of the felt. While the seam structure has been described in detail, itis not intended as a limitation, as the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claims.

What Vis claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A drier felt end fastening vconstruction comprising an elongated fabric belt of single thickness and a single added fabric member, the belt and member forming together belt joining ends of triple thickness, each end having a portion folded back upon itself to constitute two of the three fabric thicknesses and a row of looped clips attached to each end portionv folded upon itself, each'end portion folded upon itself having a row of stitches along and adjacent the fold and within the looped clips and a pintle connecting theclips of the respective end portions together, the third fabric thick ness extending over said clips to cover the same, stitches passing through the triple thickness of fabric on the leading side of the fastening construction with respect to the direction of belt travel, to securely hold the three thicknesses of fabric all together, the looped clips on at least one end of the belt passing through a back fold of the fabric belt itself, the back folded portions of both the belt and added fabric member being of the same weave pattern as the-other portions, whereby the clips and stitching within the clips have the reinforcement of the woven material to effect the hold of the clips on the belt and added member.

2. The construction of claim l in which the looped clips on both ends of the belt pass through a back fold of the fabric belt itself and the added member is a single thickness sewed to one end of the belt and extending to overlay the clips vwithout any folds therein.

3. The construction of claim l in which the third fabric thickness extending over the clips is the fabric belt itself and the added member is folded double and sewed to the overlapping end of the belt, spaced back from the overlapping end.

4. Ina drier felt comprising an elongated fabric belt in the form of a singled sheet havingreinforced edges at its ends adapted to receive means for forming a connecting seam at the said ends, one of the ends of the belt sheet being folded downwardly and rearwardly along one surface of the sheet, forming a folded edge, a plurality of rows of stitches securing-the rearwardly folded end t0.

the other surface of the belt sheet, at least one row of the stitchesv being adjacent and` parallel with the folded sheet edge, the end of the` sheet opposite the rearwardly folded end being a free end, a separate short piece of material substantially the same widthas the belt folded upon` itself having a row of stitches adjacent its folded edge, the, said seperate piece being secured to the freev end of thev sheetV ong-thek surface thereof having the rear wardly folded end first named and spaced inwardly from the saidfree end thereof, the respective foldededges extending toward one another, said seam connecting;`

means being in the form of a plurality of elongated looped staples extending lengthwise of the belt and having their ends turned at substantially right angles to the longitudinal `axis, of the staple to engage the rearwardly= folded edge at one end of the belt and the foldedpiece attached to the adjacent free end of the belt and a pintle connecting the looped staples on the respective folded edges, said staples being of such length as to engage the' folded .edges beyond and adjacent the stitches extending-` along the respective folded edges, the free end of the beltextending beyond the folded edge of the attached piece` and beyond the folded edge of the belt covering,

the surface ofthe belt over the seam when the ends of the sheet are held in abutted position by the connecting means, the back folded portions of both the belt and` separate piece being of the same weave pattern as the other portions, whereby the clips and stitching within the clips have the reinforcement of the woven materialto effect the holdv of the clips on the belt and separate piece.

5. In a drier felt as claimed in claim 4 inwhich the foldedattached piece is' provided with one fold longer than the other, the longer fold being positioned adjacent` the drier felt and a plurality of stitches securingboth folds of the separate piece to the felt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,748,880 Hill- Feb. 25, 1930 1,932,203 Diamond Oct. 24, 1933 1,986,490 Wilson Jan.,1, 1935 1,998,135 Heinz Apr. 16,1935 2,084,490 Hooper June 22,` 1937 2,139,544 Fleming Dec. 6, 1938 2,158,007 Ellis c May 9, 19,39 2,629,909 Hall Mar. 3, 1953 

